Rivercenter mall owners plan to re-develop the old Joske's Department Store building -- most recently occupied by Dillard's -- and the walkway adjacent to it next to the Menger Hotel.

Rivercenter mall owners plan to re-develop the old Joske's Department Store building -- most recently occupied by Dillard's -- and the walkway adjacent to it next to the Menger Hotel.

Photo: TOM REEL, San Antonio Express-News

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Joske's owner is axing tower for hotel

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The owner of the historic Joske's building downtown has scrapped a proposal to stack a nearly 400-foot hotel and timeshare tower atop the former department store, people familiar with plans for the site say.

New York-based Ashkenazy Acquisition Corp., which owns the former Joske's location and adjacent Rivercenter mall, had faced fierce opposition from conservation advocates.

Also, the city's Historic Design and Review Commission rejected the proposal in May, citing the sheer size of the planned high-rise and its proximity to Alamo Plaza.